Technological capacity in the public sector: the case of Estonia

In: International review of administrative sciences: an international journal of comparative public administration, Volume 84, Issue 2, p. 214-230

Abstract

Technology is clearly a critical factor in the lives of organizations, yet there are only a few studies that deal with technology and public organizations. In this article, we propose to understand technological change in the public sector, in particular, how technology influences administrative capacity, through a new concept of technological capacity. We use the case of Estonia – internationally associated with a strong e-state profile – as an exploratory case to answer two research questions: 'Why and how does technological change take place in the public sector?' and 'How does technological change influence administrative capacity in public organizations?' We demonstrate how dynamic and static change in technological capacities is influenced by four different public sector feedback and selection mechanisms. We conclude that in spite of the neglected position of technology in the public administration literature, technology is an intrinsic factor in how administrative capacity evolves.